Knife.



No. 628,259. Patentgd July 4, I899.

- E. 0. WHEELER. 4

' KNIFE.

(Appliqation filed Feb. 2, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN 0. WHEELER, or BELLEVUE, KENTUCKY.

KNIFE.

SPECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 628,259, dated July 4, 1899.

Application filed February 2,1899. Serial No. 704,230. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, EDWIN 0. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Bellevue, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain Improvements in Knives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in knives, and has for its object to provide a knife of a simple and inexpensive nature and of a strong and durable construction, having a case or handle in which the blade is adapted to be sheathed and housed when not in use, so as to render the device capable of being conveniently carried in the pocket and provided with means for holding the blade clamped either in open or closed position.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts of the improved knife, whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is made simpler, cheaper, and otherwise better adapted and more convenient for use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a face View of a knife constructed according to my invention, and Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken -through the knife in the plane indicated by line a a in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a View showing one of the parts or members of the knife case or handle detached, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken transversely through the knife in the plane indicated by line 0 c in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a View showing the inner side of the other part or member to that shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line b b in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line a a in Fig. 1 and showing the construction of the clamping device for holding the blade. Fig. 9 is a View drawn to a reduced scale and showing the opposite face of the part-of the case or handle seen in Fig. 6.

As shown in the views, the case or handle of the improved knife is formed in two parts or members 1 and 2,11eld together at one end by means of a screw 3, which passes through an aperture 4 in the part or member 1, which aperture is countersunk to receive the head of the screw, and has its screw-threaded end or tip engaged in a threaded opening 5 in the part or member 2 of the case. The parts or members 1 and 2 fit flush against each other and are of elongated flattened shape, having rounded ends, and said parts are held together at the endof the case or handle opposite the screw 3 by means of a band or loop 6 of metal, adapted to fit snugly over that end of the case, being adapted for sliding movement lengthwise thereof.

To limit the sliding movement of the loop or band6 and also to retain the same in place upon the case, I employ a screw 7, held by the band or loop at its side adjacent to the case member 1 and provided with a pin or stud 8 at its extremity adapted for engagement with a slot 9, extending lengthwise in the case member 1, as clearly shown-in Figs. 3, 4, and 8.

The part 2 of the case or handle is formed on its inner surface, which is flush against the part 1, with a longitudinal recess 10, wherein is adapted for sliding movement the knife-blade 11, preferably formed with beveled edge portions 12, so that the said edges may be'conveniently sharpened to lengthen or renew the cutting edge of the blade in case the end of the blade becomes worn or broken, and said blade is provided at its rear end with a projecting part or thumb-piece 13, adapted to play in a slot 14, formed in the part or member 1 of the case or handle and by means of which the blade may be conveniently moved lengthwise in its recess 10. The part 1 fits snugly over the edge portions of the blade 11 when the parts are assembled, so as to form guides 15 at each side of the slot 14:, beneath which the blade plays when moved in the case or handle.

The end of the case or handle member 1, whereat is held the loop or band 6, is provided with a beveled or inclined outer surface 16, with which the said loop or band engages, so that when the loop is moved along said inclined surface in one direction the parts 1 and 2 of the case or handle will be clamped on the blade 11 owing to the loop encircling both of said parts, so that said blade will be securely held against movement when in either open or closed position, and when the loop is moved in the other direction down the inclined surface it serves to release the blade and permit free movement of the same in its guideway. To insure the proper clamping of the blade between the two parts of the case or handle,

I prefer to form the bottom of the recess 10 in the part or member 2 with a beveled or inclined surface 17 at the end at which the loop 6 is mounted and inclined toward the adjacent surface of the part or member 1, so that when the parts 1 and 2 are pressed together to hold the blade in either open or closed position the said parts or members will be more closely and firmly pressed against the blade. As shown in Fig. 9, the outer face of the part or member 2 of the case or handle is provided with a graduated scale 18, so that the device may be used in lieu of a rule or the like.

In using the improved knife the loop 6 is first slipped down the inclined surface 16, so as to release the blade l1,which is then moved out from the case or handle, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, by means of the part or handle 13, playing in slot H. \Vhen the blade is protruded, it will be clamped fast in the case or handle by moving the loop 6 up the inclined surface 16.

\Vhen the knife is not required for use, the blade will be released, pushed back into the case, and again clamped by moving the loop 6, so as to hold it within its guideway, so that the device may be conveniently carried in the pocket.

The improved knife constructed as above described is well adapted for use as a pocketknife, and is especially well adapted for use as an eraser oras a pressmans knife in overlaying tympan-sheets or similar work, since the construction is such that when the blade is slid into its guideway the knife is capable of being conveniently carried in the pocket ready for use, and the blade may readily and quickly be protruded and clamped, so as to be in position for use. The construction also permits of readily removing and replacing the blade 11 when worn or broken, and when used as a pressmans knife or as an eraser the life of the device is greatly increased, owing to the length of the blade 11, which permits of repeated grinding or sharpening to renew its cutting edges.

From the above description it will also be obvious that the improved knife is capable of considerable modification without material departure from the principles and spirit of the inventiomand for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several parts herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a knife, the combination of a case or handle having a guideway and a slot, ablade mounted for sliding movementin said guideway and having a part projecting through the slot to be engaged by the user in moving the blade, and means mounted for sliding movement lengthwise on the case or handle for holding the blade clamped to the case or handle when moved,substantially as set forth.

2. In a knife, the combination of a case or handle, made of two parts forming a guideway between them, a blade mounted to slide in the guideway, a screw to hold the two parts of the case or handle-together at one end of the same, and a clamping device for holding the blade clamped to the case or handle and comprising aloop encircling the two parts of the case or handle to hold the parts together at the end of the case or handle opposite to said screw, substantially as set forth.

3. In a knife, the combination .of a case or handle, havinga guideway and provided with a slotted and inclined surface, a blade mounted for sliding movement in said guideway and a clamping device mounted to slide on said case or handle in engagement with said slotted and inclined surface and arranged to hold said blade clamped in said guideway, substantially as set forth.

4. In a knife, the combination of a case or handle formed of two parts having a guideway between them, one part being formed with a longitudinal slot, and one part being formed with an inclined surface, a blade held in said guideway and provided with a part projecting through the slot of the case or handle and by means of which the blade may be moved lengthwise in said guideway, and a clamping device comprising a loop encircling the two parts of the case or handle to hold said parts together, said loop being mounted to slide on said case or handle in en gagementwith said inclined surface to press the two parts of the case or handle together to clamp the blade in the guideway, substantially as set forth.

EDVIN O. VVl-IEELER.

W'itnesses:

J OHN ELIAS JONES, J. D. TIIORNE. 

